Adding machine



(Nb Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. O. H. WEBB. ADDING MACHINE.

No. 414,959. Patented Nov. 12, 1889.

INVENTOR' WITNESSES I (No Model.) l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2, C. H. WEBB.

ADDING MACHINE.

No. 414.959. PatentedNov. 12, 18894 I v INVENTORI B WW hmog" .lttorney.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HENRY WEBB, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ADDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,959, dated November 12, 1889.

A Application filed April 28, 1888. Serial No. 272,179. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES HENRY WEBB, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Adding-lVlachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, in the main, to adding-machines of the class employing two adding disks or wheels arranged tangentially and having internal mechanism whereby, at each revolution of one of said disks, it imparts an ism.

driven disk is free to be rotated independently of the other in setting the disks at starting.

Other objects of my invention relate to fea tures of construction designed mainly to increase the durability of the machine and to facilitate the operation of adding therewith.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a face View of the machine. Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1,but having parts of the machine broken away to expose the internal mechan- Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View on a scale double that of Fig. 3. Figs. 4 and 5 are similar fragmentary views designed to illustrate the operation of the internal mechanism. Fig. 6 is a view representing a suitable stylus or point for operating the numerator or adding-disks.

My machine comprises, in a general way, a neat casing recessed to receive the two adding-disks and provide bearings therefor, in which casing below the disks is an escapement device or mechanism whereby the larger adding-disk, which adds sums up to one-hundred, is made to impart at each revolution one impulse or fraction of a revolution to the lesser or hundreds disk, thus adding one hundred to the sum.

7 I will now describe the mechanism more minutely.

Referring to the drawings, A a represent a casing, usually made from cast metal. This casin g has the form, by preference, shown in Figs. 1 and 2that is to say, it consists of two circular parts A and a, formed in one piece, and each having a raised rim or margin I), provided with indentations, notches, or recesses c in its outer edge or face, whereby the machine may be conveniently secured in place on a table or desk by pins or screws (1, as represented in Fig. 1. These indentations 0 also facilitate the handling of the machine, as they enable the fingers to obtain a firm grasp thereon.

D is a ring-dial, which fits in a rabbet 6, formed in the rim of the portion A of the casing, and is, or may be, secured to the said rim by screws f. The ring-dial D is graduated-or provided with one hundred graduation marks equally spaced and numbered from O to 99 to form an index, as shown in Fig. 1. At or adjacent to the number 0 the ring-dial is provided with an inwardly-proj ecting stop-piece g, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.

In the center of the part A of the casing is an aperture 7L, surrounded byacircular flange i, which forms a large and firm journal for the units and tens adding disk E, which turns thereon. The boss of this disk is a snail-cam j, which has a bearing on the bottom of the casing (see Fig. 3) adjacentto the journal 1'. At its outer edge the diskE takes under the dial D, as seen in Fig. 3, and rests in a rabbet it, formed in the rim of the portion A of the casing. This disk is designed to turn smoothly and steadily on its journal and marginal bearings and not too freely or loosely. Around its margin, on its upper face, the disk is cut away so as to form a slight band-like recess or rabbet Z, (see Fig. 3%) and on this depressed surface the disk is graduated or provided with one hundred equallyspaced divisions, which are numbered 00, ()1, O2, consecutively, up to 99.

numbers 00 is covered bythe dial D; but said numbers may be made to appear in succes- This series of sion at an aperture m in said dial by rotating the disk E.

Just within the inner margin of the ringdial 1) and opposite to each number on the disk is a socket n in the disk, to receive a point for rotating the disk.

In a marginal rabbet in the rim of the lesser .part a of the casing is fitted a ring-plate E, which has a flattened side that fits up to a similar flattened side on the ring-dial D, and it may be secured to the casing in the same manner as the dial. In this part a of the easing is rotatively mounted on a hollow journal 0, similar to journal 2', the hundreds-adding disk G, the margin of which takes under the plate F and stands in peripheral contact, or nearly so, with disk E. This tangential arrangement of the disks may be seen at the aperture m in Fig. 1. This disk Gis divided around its margin into fifty equally-spaced divisions, and is provided with a series of numbers from 0 to 4:9, consecutively arranged. Oppositeto each of the numbers in this series is a socket 1), similar to the sockets n. in disk E. The plate F extends out over these sockets 19 except at some point 1 where it is cutaway to an extent suflicient to uncover ten of said sockets, and it has graduation-marks at opposite said sockets numbered from 0 to 9, forming an index, as seen in Fig. l. The disk G has a socket q, that is not covered by the plate F. This socket is arranged opposite the zero-mark on said disk.

On the plate F is an inwardly-projecting stop-piece 4", similar to the stop-piece g on dial D.

On the lower face of the disk G is fixed a toothed wheel H, having fifty equall -spaced teeth with beveled faces, or as many teeth as there are divisions on the disk G. This wheel may be in one piece with the disk if preferred.

The wheel H and disk G are adapted to be rotated intermittingly, one tooth at a time, by a vibrating pallet-lever I, provided with two pallets s and s, the former of which is normally held in mesh with the teeth of wheel H by a spring 2?. The beveled end of pallet 8 holds the wheel steady, but does not prevent the disk G and said wheel from being rotated by the insertion of a pin or stylusin the sockets 1) or q. Every revolution of disk E causes the snail-cam j thereon to draw back a lever J by pushing outward the tail J of same, and when the cam passes the tail of the lever the spring a returns said lever to its normal position. In returning, said lever acts on and vibrates the pallet-lever and thus imparts an impulse to disk G.

Having described the construction of the machine, I will now describe the operation of adding with it. The user inserts a pin or stylus of any kind in the socket n opposite the hand or index-mark .2 on the adding-disk E and turns the disk to the right until the point is stopped by the stop-piece g. This will bring the double-zero mark 00 on the' disk E opposite the reading-aperturem, where it'may be seen. He then inserts the stylus in the socket q in disk G and turns said disk to the right until it is stopped by the stop- This will bring the zero-mark O on disk G opposite that portion or extension of the aperture m which is formed in plate l This the preliminary step, and he will now see at aperture 072. the three zero-marks 000 at the point where the disks are tangent to each other. Now suppose he wishes to add up the sums or amounts two hundred and thirty-six, one hundred and twenty-seven, and fifty-four. He inserts the stylus in the socket at opposite the numberl on dial 1) and turns disk E to the right until the stylus strikes the stop g. The number 054 now appears at aperturem. He then inserts the stylus in the socket opposite 27 on the dial and again turns the disk until the stylus is stopped by the piece g. The number now appearing at aperture on will be 081, (05a 27.) He next inserts the stylus in the socket a opposite 36 on the dial and turns the disk as before. The number appearing at aperture on will now be 11?,(081 36.) This sum being more than one hundred, the disk E will have made more than one revolution, and consequently will have acted through the pallet-lever I on disk G, to move the latter one-fiftieth of a revolution, and thus bring the hundred-numeral 1 thereon to the reading-aperture in place of 0. He now adds the hundreds (in the present case of the amounts two hundred and thirty-six and one hundred and twenty-seven) by inserting the stylus in the socket p in disk G that stands opposite the number 1 in the series of indexnumerals a along the margin of recess y in plate F and turns disk G to the right as far as the end margin of said recess 3 willallow. The sum at aperture m will now be 217. He then inserts the stylus in the socket p opposite number 2 of the series a and repeats the operation, when the sum at aperture on will be 417, which is correct. Any series of sums or amounts not exceeding hundreds in each may be thus added up. If there are four or more figures in the amounts of the column, he adds up the units and tens in the column, sets down with a pencil the units and tons in the sum, and carries the hundreds to the hundreds column, which he then adds independently.

To facilitate the carrying of the hundreds, I provide the disk E with a series of numerals a which may extend to or more, as desired. The numerals of this series are so arranged that they stand when the disk is at Zero opposite the corresponding index-numerals on the dialD. For example, after the units and tens have been added up, suppose there are five hundreds to carry. The operator sets the disks at first by inserting his stylus, not in the socket at opposite index .2, but in the socket at 5 of the series a and turns disk E until the stylus stops against the piece g. Thus he adds up the carries simultaneously with the setting of the disks.

.One of the more important features of my machine is the internal mechanism for imparting intermittent impulses to the disk G. In order to enable said disk to be conveniently rotated independently of disk E, I construct the pallets of the lever I with rather flat bevels, so thatthey will not positively lock the wheel H.

It has been a desideratuln in this class of machines to obtain a device capable of impartinga quick movement to the driven disk and one that would at the same time move said disk positively to the proper extent and no more.

' Itwas necessary, also, that the device should allow the driven disk to be independently rotated. My lever-escapement effects these objects perfectly. The object in employing a snail-cam, as j, to actuate the operating-lever J is to draw back the pallet-actuating end of said lever gradually, and also to provide the disk E with a friction-brake to steady it in its rotation and prevent it from revolving too easily.

The lever J is provided at its end with a peculiarly-constructed L-shaped trip 1;, pivoted at its internal angle to the end of lever J. The tail 1; of this trip stands between two guide-pins w and w, fixed in the bottom plate of casing A, which serve to give the proper movements to the operating point or arm '0 of the trip.

Figs. 2, 4, and 5 show the trip in its several positions and illustrate its action on the rearwardly-projecting part or spur s of the pallet-lever I. Fig. 2 shows the parts in their positions of rest after an impulse has been given to disk G and the elements of the actuating mechanism have resumed their normal positions. Starting from this, if the disk E, and with it the cam j, be rotated to the right in adding, the snail-cam will gradually draw back the end of the lever J, which bears trip 0;, by the action of said cam on the tail J of said lever. As the trip 1) moves back the inner guide-pin to Will act on or arrest the tail '0',of the trip and throw out the point e of the latter until the tail of the lever J rests on the highest point of camj. This position of the parts is seen in Fig. 4. Now, when the shoulder j of the cam passes the tail of lever J, spring a instantly throws the other end of the lever outward, the point e of trip 1; strikes or engages the spur s on the palletlever I and oscillates the latter in such a manner as to cause the pallet s thereon to engage the teeth of wheel H and impart to it a movement to the extent of one half-tooth. This position of the parts is seen in Fig. 5, wherein the tail v 01": the trip t is found in contact wit-h guide-pin w; The final act of the spring a in its action on lever J is to draw in the point t of the trip out of engagement with the spur of lever I through the action of pin w on the tail of the trip. This permits the spring t to retract the lever I to the position seen in Fig. 2, whereby the pallet s on same engages the tooth next succeeding that b it engaged before and imparts a movement to the wheel H equal in extent to another halftooth. Thus one vibration of the pallet-lever advances wheel H one tooth. It is notpossible with this escapement for the disk G to be moved more or less than the proper distance at each impulse.

I employ sockets n p, &c.,which do not extend through the disk, instead of holes or perforations, in order that the pin or point may be conveniently used for rotating the adding-disks without danger of its projecting into the casing in a manner to interfere with the internal mechanism. It is convenient, however, to employ a stylus such as that illusstrated in Fig. 6, which consists of a slitted socket-tube of the proper size to embrace the end of an ordinary lead-pencil provided with a point adapted to enter the said sockets up.

By recessin g or rabbetin g the margin of the disk E at Z the series of numerals stamped thereon are protected against erasure or obliteration by constant chafing against the lower face of the dial.

The apertures h and 0 in the casing serve to lighten it, and also to assist in grasping and holding the machine. They are also convenient for hanging the machine up on a nail or hook and for securing it in place on a table. The large journal bearings provided for the adding-disks and the absence of all screws for journals impart great durahility to the apparatus, which is designed especially for resisting hard and constant usage for a long time.

To increase the durability of the machine, I make the stop-piece g of steel and let it into the ring-dial D, which will be made of softer metalas brass, for exampleso that the numerals and graduation-marks may be the better stamped thereon. The stop-piece may be secured in place by solder or the like.

The series of carry numerals a is not an essential feature, and it maybe omitted. The series a on plate F over the disk G may be extended, if desired, beyond nine digits. The size of disk G relatively to disk E and the number of divisions on its margin are not important. I have shown it half as large asdisk E. It is necessary, however, that the numbers in the hundreds series on the margin of disk G shall be equal to the number of teeth in wheel II as the apparatus is here represented.

In assembling the parts of my machine the escapement or internal mechanism is first placed in the cavity of the casing. The adding-disks are then slipped onto the j ournals, and, finally, the ring-dial D and ringplate F are placed and secured. The dial and ring-plate F serve to hold the disks ITO down in place. The disk E is supported at its margin on the rabbeted face or shoulder 7tof the casing.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination of the rotatively-mounted units and tens disk, the rotatively-inounted hundreds-disk, the toothed wheel fixed to the latter disk, the vibrating pallet-lever having one of its pallets held in engagement with the teeth of said wheel by a spring, and the said spring whereby said wheel may be rotated continuously and independently by the yielding of said spring, as set forth.

2. The combination of the units and tens disk, the hundreds-disk, the toothed wheel fixed to the hundreds-disk, the palletlever, one of the pallets of which is held normally in engagement with the teeth of said wheel by a spring, the said spring, the intermediate lever for actuating said pallet-lever, its spring, and means, substantially as described, carried by the units and tens disk, for actuating said intermediate lever once in each revolution of said disk, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the units and tens disk provided with a snail-canl, the lumdreds-disk, the toothed wheel fixed to and carried by said humlreds-disk, the vibrating pallet-lever and its spring, and the intermeate lever and its spring, the tail of the latter lever bearing on said snail-cam, substantially as described.

l. The combination of the units and tens disk provided with a cam, the hundredsdisk, the toothed wheelfixed to and carried by said hundredsdisk, the vibrating palletlever and its spring, arranged as shown, the intermediate lever and its spring, the L- shaped trip carried by said intermediate lever on its operating end, and the two guidepins for the tail of said trip, all arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. HENRY WEBB.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY CONNETT, J. D. CAPLINGER. 

